My eunuch godfather

Chapter 81 Tambak Conference

Who are the friends of the Nanjing Jin Yun and who are its enemies? This is the primary question in holding the Tampagu Conference.

In Zhang Kun's view, the first thing to consider is that all the Tambak merchants who did not participate in the Tambak Conference are considered enemies.

The problem is that many Tamburi businesses don't not want to participate, but they lack the conditions to do so.

For example, it takes 1200 li (approximately 600 kilometers) to travel from Yongjia County in Wenzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province to Nanjing, which is very expensive.

Zhang Kun won't be understanding. Since you refuse to sit at the same table, then just wait for the menu to be served!

Secondly, those who attend the Tampagu Conference but do not support the Tampagu trading company, Nanjing Jinyun, should also be considered enemies.

This is a meeting to unite people. To not support the Nanjing Jin Yun is to be disunited!

Finally, they participated in the Tampagu Conference and supported the Nanjing Jinyun Shipping Company, but since it was a company with little strength, it was still considered an enemy.

Sigh, in the end, why are there so many enemies?

The more enemies there are, the more right Zhang Kun is to do!

Zhang Kun established the Nanjing Jinyunhao in Southern Zhili and Zhejiang, also aiming to create a monopoly, only the form of the monopoly was different.

The monopoly of Jin Yun was a "syndicate," and all the Tampagu merchants sold their finished products through various means, each using their own unique methods.

However, the purchase of raw materials must be done through Jin Yun Hao, and the industry standards and rules are all set by Jin Yun Hao.

In other words, Jin Yun is the Zhou emperor of the northern Danbagu market, only from the Western Zhou period.

The monopoly of Nanjing Jinyun was a "cartel," with powerful Tambaku trading companies forming a price alliance.

Standardize pricing, reduce competition, and first eliminate all the small players in the industry.

The dozen or so salt merchants in Lianghuai Salt Industry were examples of this kind of monopoly.

The Tampagu market in the south is different from that in the north; it has already reached a considerable scale, making it too difficult to forcibly establish a syndicate.

Therefore, the Nanjing Jinyun ship needs to share Gangji Shang's power with powerful allies, so that the power can be put into practice instead of just on paper.

Zhang Kun only needs friends like the Fukang. No matter how servile the small fry are, they'll still be on the menu!

......

Xitian Temple.

Duke Xu Hongji of Wei tossed a stone to the head manager of the Fukang ship, saying, "I picked this up east of the Great Bao'en Temple. What do you think?"

The head shopkeeper carefully examined the pebble that Xu Hongji had picked up and shook his head, saying, "It's ugly."

Xu Hongji curled his lip in displeasure, snatched the stone back, and asked the head manager:

"How did your talks go?"

The head steward took out a small notebook from his satchel, put on his reading glasses, and answered while flipping through it:

"That Zhang Kun is thinking of doing joint business with us, turning us into something like Jinkang or Fuyun."

The term "joint business" refers to businesses that do not hold shares in each other or hold very little shares in each other.

They formed alliances through kinship or hometown ties, cooperated closely, and even shared risks.

Brands with a common name usually share a common character, called the "family name" or "connected name".

Xu Hongji immediately understood and said to the head manager with a smile:

"The 'Fuyun' sounds better, but it's a pity it'll probably end up being the 'Jinkang' again—which territories will we be assigned to?"

The head manager pointed to the notebook with his finger, "Shangyuan County in Nanjing accounts for 40%, Taiping Prefecture..."

In fact, it was Xu Hongji's river defense command area, which was known at the time as the Eight Camps and Eight Prefectures Patrol Divisions along the river:

Down the river, there was the garrison commander of Nanhuzui in Jiujiang Prefecture, Jiangxi, and the garrison commander of Anqing in Anqing Prefecture, Southern Zhili.

The garrison commander of Digang in Wuhu County, Taiping Prefecture, and the garrison commander of Yizhen County, Yangzhou Prefecture.

The commander-in-chief of Guazhou Guard and the captain of Sanjiangkou in Guazhou Ferry, Yangzhou Prefecture, and the captain of Chuishan and Youbing in Gaozi Port, Zhenjiang Prefecture.

Anqing Prefecture, Luzhou Prefecture, Chizhou Prefecture, Taiping Prefecture, Hezhou, Yingtian Prefecture, Yangzhou Prefecture, Zhenjiang Prefecture.

"Oh, so you're really willing to share territory, huh?"

Xu Hongji was somewhat surprised. After pondering for a moment, he asked the head manager, "What do you think?"

"You'll live many more years."

The head manager looked at Xu Hongji with a serious expression and said:

"If you leave too soon, our government will lose the command of the River Defense Commander, and we will lose at least half of these territories."

"You old codger, you're getting better and better at talking!"

Xu Hongji was so angry that he puffed out his beard and glared at the manager. After taking a few deep breaths, he pressed the head manager for an answer:

"From what you're saying, you think this chain store business is doing well?"

"We spearheaded the Su Jun Society, and every day we had to throw several hundred taels of silver into the river."

The head manager nodded and advised Xu Hongji, "Even if it won't last long, at least you can rest for a while."

After the establishment of Nanjing Jinyunhao, it wreaked havoc on the raw rice markets in southern Zhili and Zhejiang, leaving them in complete disarray.

The normal market order was disrupted, and production and operations fell into chaos, from which they have not yet recovered.

Even if the price cartel eventually breaks down, at least it can be maintained for a while to give everyone a breather.

"I'll listen to you."

Xu Hongji tossed the pebbles he had picked up back to the head shopkeeper, saying, "Give them to Zhang Kun and tell him they are treasures I've kept for many years."

Suddenly remembering something, he slapped his forehead and asked the head manager:

"Ah, I saw that Zhang Kun at Shuixi Gate before. He looks quite young. Is he married?"

The head manager looked at the stone in his hand, couldn't help but sigh, and asked in return:

"Your brother-in-law, the Duke of England, intends to marry his niece to him. Have you forgotten that?"

"What a pity, my brother-in-law beat me to it!"

Xu Hongji sighed and waved to the head manager, "Go ahead and do your work. I'll go pick up a few more stones."

......

Yang Wan's old courtyard in Nanjing.

"Mr. Xu, I've heard that you and Commander Zhang are close friends."

A group of well-dressed middle-aged men, led by the head, respectfully pleaded with Xu Fo:

"If you can help us pay our respects to Commander Zhang, we will be eternally grateful!"

These people were all owners or managers of major tea and rice trading companies in Suzhou Prefecture.

Unlike other prefectures in Southern Zhili, Suzhou Prefecture did not have a single prefecture-level tea merchant.

The so-called prefecture-level, such as the Fukang Company of the Duke of Wei's Mansion, held a leading position in Taiping Prefecture, Chizhou Prefecture, and Anqing Prefecture.

Suzhou Prefecture was divided into Kunshan, Changshu, and Taicang, each with its own leader. Even Wuxian and Changzhou in Suzhou City were not of one mind!

The result is that these mediocre Tambak trading companies are struggling to cope with the current crisis:

At the Tampagu Conference, Zhang Kun announced that there would be no distinction between hawkers and transporters, but that they would be sold together.

Taking the Fukang as an example again, after purchasing a carrier's quota, it can also be registered as the Nanjing Jinyun Binjiang Branch.

This is why the spots were sold for exorbitant prices!

On the Jin Yun ship, a single spot costs only 30,000 to 50,000 taels of silver. But on the Nanjing Jin Yun ship, the starting price is 100,000 taels!

Most of these treasury businesses could barely scrape together 100,000 taels, but their cash flow was about to dry up.

Therefore, they inquired around and learned that Xu Fo, who was born in Jiaxing County, Suzhou Prefecture, had recently become very close to Zhang Kun.

So they came to Xu Fo, asking him to help them pull strings and allow them to join forces to secure the spots.

"I dare not accept such praise. My relationship with Commander Zhang is merely one of some literary exchanges."

Xu Fo enjoyed the respect shown to her by these wealthy businessmen, but she knew in her heart that her relationship with Zhang Kun could not be described as that of close friends.

He could only hesitate and give them an ambiguous answer:

"The Nanjing Jin Yun ship is a business of the imperial court; I'm afraid it can't say much about it?"